From left, ‘Old Coots’ Janet Robinson Bodoff and Marsha Galespie, with Ventnor City Farmers Market Manager Penny Starer
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – It’s always sad to see the end of summer approach with such vigor. The weather’s still great, the water is warm and it’s time for the locals to have their September summer. It’s a time most year-round residents look forward to, but any one of them will tell you its sad to see the Ventnor City Farmers Market come to a close. Next Friday, Sept. 2 will see the final market of the season.
2022 is the sixth summer the market has been held in Ventnor, where more than 1,000 shoppers turn out each week to purchase Jersey Fresh produce, baked goods, handcrafted food and craft items and clothing.
“We are so sad it’s coming to an end,” said Karen Warner of Ventnor, who has volunteered as a host since “day one” of the market.
She is stationed in a tent at the entrance to the market, which is held in the parking lot at St. James Church, where they sell market “merch” – T-shirts, reusable bags and beach towels, this year with a brand new logo.
“We’re very sad and the feeling is bittersweet,” said Penny Starer, who with her husband Andy Starer and Maria Gatta of Red Room serve as market managers. They started the market six years ago as a labor of love for the Ventnor community.
Their work begins in early spring after the Starers return to Ventnor from their winter digs in Florida. They recruit the vendors – more than 60 this year, plus some pop-ups – collect the fees, design the layout, create programs – the Old Coots Giving Advice are a delight – and advertise and host the event every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
“This year we exceeded all our previous years in terms of the number and quality of our vendors, support of the community, foot traffic, and the weather – the weather was beautiful for 15 weeks every Friday,” Penny Starer said. “Our vendors were sold out more this year than in past years, and people have been coming earlier. The early bird gets the best offerings and…parking spaces.”
Asked if there were any plans to extend the market season into September, Starer said because most of the summer residents return to their primary homes by Labor Day, there wouldn’t be enough foot traffic to keep the farmers and vendors making a profit.
Vendor Doris Monteleone of Monteleone Farms in East Vineland, said it was a great season, although the farm lost a lot of produce in the field due to the extreme heat.
“That, along with the diesel fuel for the tractors and fertilizer costs that doubled for us this year caused us to have to raise our prices a little. We didn’t like doing that because we love our customers, but we had to,” she said. “We love this market and the people here are wonderful.”
Today’s pop-up vendor was Joe Bachen, a senior citizen who likes to cook so much he wrote a cookbook, which he sent to Oprah Winfrey in hopes she would promote it on her podcast, he said.
“It took me 12 years to put together. It includes some signature recipes and some family recipes that are quick and easy, nothing fancy,” he said.
The book, titled, “350° For An Hour,” includes some narrative and helpful hints, such as how to properly set a table and fold napkins.
“There’s a lot of practical information and delicious, easy recipes for things like tiramisu, omelets, you know, easy-peasy stuff,” he said.
Bachen said he had 200 of the books printed and has already sold half his stock. Next week, he will be speaking with the senior citizens group at the Ventnor Library, and he hopes to get them into the Stockton campus bookstore.
“This is a great book for college students who quickly need to learn how to cook for themselves,” he said.
Janet Robinson Bodoff is one of the volunteers who give advice to anyone who asks for it in the “Old Coots Giving Advice” tent. The group’s tag line is, “It May Not Be Good Advice, But It’s Free.” She volunteers at the tent every other Friday because it’s fun and she gets to meet people, she said. On alternate Fridays, you will find her selling her hand-crafted jewelry designs.
This Friday, she gave advice to a young woman who recently graduated college and took a job in Boston. She wanted to know how she could fit in with her new surroundings.
“I said she should contact her sorority sisters in Boston, and because she mentioned she is Jewish, the local synagogue,” Bodoff said. “And the main thing in Boston is to be sure to stop at ‘Cheers’ because everyone there knows your name.”
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